1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming device, an information processing method, and a computer-readable recording medium which are adapted to execute an application.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, operational instructions from a user have been input to image forming devices, such as printers, copiers, facsimiles, scanners, or multi-function peripherals, through an operation panel provided for the image forming device concerned. In recent years, however, with progress of network technology, providing a remote user interface for the image forming devices through a network is also possible. For example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-140898.
On the other hand, there is known an image forming device of a certain type, called a multi-function peripheral, which is provided with a platform on which an application program (which will be called an application) is executed, and an API (Application Programming Interface) provided by the platform is made public. For example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-110689. With the image forming device of this type, using the API enables a software vendor other than the manufacturer of the image forming device to develop a new application and install the new application in the image forming device.
For the above-described image forming device with the platform, it is desirable that various applications are developed and provided to the market. The fact that various applications developed and provided are available raises a commercial value of the image forming device.
For that purpose, easy development of an application on the platform of the above-described image forming device is needed. In other words, this development is needed to lighten the burdens of development of applications on respective software vendors as much as possible.
In recent years, some of applications on the image forming device are utilized from the network (or an external device outside the image forming device) remotely as well as from the operation panel of the image forming device locally. In such situations, it is not desirable that the way each application is executed on the platform is sensitive to the difference of the operation place or depends on whether the operation place is local or remote.
The difference of the operation place may cause the operation of the application to be sensitive to changes in the source of input information and the destination of output information (processing result). Moreover, the difference of the operation place may result in a significant change in the form of use by the users, which requires that the application be installed to absorb the change.
For example, when an application on the image forming device is utilized from the operation panel, the application may be installed by assuming that the number of users who access the application at a time is always one. On the other hand, when an application on the image forming device is utilized from the network, a number of users may utilize the application simultaneously, unless a limit number for the number of users who access the application via the network at a time is specified.
Specifically, while a user A uses an application A from the operation panel, a user B may use the application A from the network. Furthermore, a user C may use the application A from the network simultaneously. When the application A is used simultaneously by two or more users, it is required that each of the application A and other applications on the image forming device respectively performs processing which is not in conflict with applications being run by each of the users.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-140898 discloses the technology directed to supporting the operating method of the image forming device remotely, and does not provide the teaching as to the simultaneous use of the application by multiple users. In the image forming device disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-140898, the user who operates the device on the operation panel locally, and the operator who guides the operation of the device remotely, perform one application (or a run unit of the application) in a shared manner. This is substantially the same as the form of use in which two users perform one application while consulting with each other using the operation panel.